Cheap Thrills
by rikku247
Summary: She came everyday to the park to ride the coaster. But pale days got in the way of love. Vincent wanted to know just who she was-and ended up loving her despite it all. Oneshot Yuffentine.AU


I was inspired to write this while driving by the local Kiddie Park I used to go to as a kid. I remember riding the little coaster all the time and I found my self thinking what a cheap thrill it would be to ride it now.

I do not own the characters, but I do own the idea.

I also want to dedicate this story to my friends at HeroesFans. I couldn't ask for any better friends. I am a better writer and person for knowing you all. Lurve!

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Cheap Thrills

She was a young woman, clearly too old to be coming to the Kiddie Park alone. But every day without fail, nine am came and she would be there. She paid for a ticket and would ride the roller coaster by herself. Sometimes if a kid was there early enough with his or her parents, the young woman would ride with them. Then she would leave. Until tomorrow. The park was closed on Sunday, but then on Monday, she would be back again.

Vincent Valentine came into the park Monday morning as usual. It opened at nine, but he was always there at eight. The park was unofficially his; he ran it for his friend Barret. As he went through the paperwork, ordering food for the concession stand and whatnot, he found himself thinking of the young woman that came in every morning. The employees had nicknamed her 'Kiddie Coaster Girl'. However unattractive the name was, it stuck. He wondered about her. Who was she? Why the Kiddie Park? Surely if she liked roller coasters that much there were much bigger ones to be ridden. He finished the paperwork as the employees came in, going to their stations and firing up the rides.

Nine am came and she didn't come. Vincent found himself looking for her. Morning passed and afternoon came and went. She still didn't come. The employees left. Just another day to them. Yuna, the friendly young woman who ran the concession stand for the summer stopped at his office door, which also happened to be the ticket office. "She didn't come today." Yuna commented. Vincent nodded silently.

"She seems like such a sweet girl," Yuna sighed. "Anyways, I should be going. See you tomorrow!" Vincent nodded and watched as she left. Maybe the girl would come tomorrow.

...

It was three more days before she came again. Friday morning dawned, promising to be a beautiful day. Nine am came and there she was. Vincent found himself almost smiling. She came to the box office and smiled at him. "Hullo again."

"Hello." Vincent replied as he pulled out a ticket for the coaster. "How have you been the last couple days?"

"Oh, so so." She answered. She adjusted her headband over her short black hair. "Couldn't make it the last few days."

Vincent nodded slowly and slipped her the ticket. "It's on me today." The girl smiled. "Thanks!"

She practically skipped to the roller coaster and hopped on. The operator put the coaster into gear and it started up the small hill. She leaned back and closed her eyes. A tiny smile of bliss came over her lips. It only took 30 seconds for the coaster to go around and it came to a halt. She hopped out and headed for the gate with a grin. She waved at Vincent as she left.

Vincent was left feeling lonely for some reason.

...

Next morning she was back again, same big smile on her face. Vincent smiled this time at seeing her. "Hullo." She greeted him again as he handed her the ticket.

"Hello."

She headed for the coaster and rode it. Vincent watched her quietly. He wanted to get to know her, wanted to know why she came here of all places. Her eyes were bright as the roller coaster went around and then she hopped off, heading toward the gate. Vincent decided right then to try. "Miss?"

The girl turned halfway with a slight smile. "Hmm?"

"Would you like…" Vincent faltered. "Would you be interested in coffee sometime?"

The girl smiled cutely. "Don'cha wanna know my name first?"

Vincent merely nodded.

"Yuffie." She said. "And yeah, I like coffee sometimes. Monday?"

"Yuffie…" Vincent tested the name. "Monday then."

She grinned and headed out the gate with a slight bounce in her step.

...

Sunday went like a drag to Vincent. He checked the clock every fifteen minutes. Bedtime couldn't come fast enough, but even then, he couldn't sleep. He finally gave up checking the clock around one thirty. Sometime he fell asleep, waking to his alarm blaring beside his ear.

He climbed out of bed and dressed quickly. He was at the park by 7:45. It took him a half hour to finish the paperwork for the week. Sales were up. That was good. At 8:30 employees started coming in and began to fire up the rides. Only 30 more minutes left.

She came at nine precisely. Vincent smiled as she came up to the window. She looked paler than normal, but her eyes were sparkling. "Hullo."

"Hello."

"Shall we go for coffee now?"

"No coaster ride first?"

She just grinned.

They went down the street to a small outdoor café. She ordered plain coffee with milk, small. Vincent had coffee with cream and sugar, medium. They sat in companionable silence for a while until Yuffie spoke. "Why do you run a kids amusement park? You don't look like the type of man who likes kids."

Vincent chuckled slightly and Yuffie grinned. "Children are… Good when you can send them home." He said finally.

"That is true." Yuffie agreed with a smile.

"Why the roller coaster every morning?"

Yuffie's smile faded for a moment. Then it was back in full force. "Call it cheap thrills."

Vincent nodded slowly. "From now on, your cheap thrills are on me."

Yuffie grinned widely. "Why thank you Mr. Valentine, owner of Kiddie Park."

"Vincent. Just Vincent."

"Vincent…" She smiled. "Thanks for coffee. Tomorrow?"

Vincent nodded. "Tomorrow then."

...

They went for coffee every day now. It had been almost a month since he first asked her to go. She still rode the roller coaster on days she wasn't pale. He asked her once about the days she was pale. She just shrugged and said they were non roller coaster days. But she still came for coffee. Even on those pale days. Then one day after 37 days, she didn't come.

Vincent worried all day. And he worried the next day…and the one after that. For five whole days he worried. He showed up early, hoping to see her. But she never came. Then after that agonizing five days she came. It was a pale day, he could tell. Her skin was paler than he had ever seen. But her smile was the same as before. "Hullo." She greeted.

His worry must have been evident on his face because she looked down at the ground. "I know." Her voice was quiet, held together by a fragile determination.

Vincent said nothing, just came out from behind the desk. They walked in silence to the café. The hostess brought them the usual. This time Yuffie didn't drink her coffee right away. She played with her cup as Vincent took a sip of his. "Where were you?" His voice was far from accusing, merely wondering.

She looked into her cup, watching the black liquid steam. This time she didn't smile when she looked up. "I was in the hospital Vincent."

"Why?"

Yuffie hesitated.

"Tell me." Vincent was insistent, his voice low.

"I have…a heart defect." Yuffie whispered finally. "Had it since I was a kid. The doctors said I wouldn't live past 15."

"How old are you now?" Vincent asked gently.

"20." Yuffie replied, her eyes brimming with tears. She raised her head to meet his crimson eyes. "I'm living on borrowed time Vinnie."

Vincent took her hand. He didn't know what to say. Nothing else mattered to him right now but being with Yuffie. She needed someone. She needed him.

...

She invited him to come home with her that day. She lived with her mom still. She couldn't live alone, her mother explained over lunch. She had good days, and bad days. The bad days were getting worse, her mother said, her eyes tearing up. She had to leave the room, leaving Vincent and Yuffie at the table. "It's hard for her…" Yuffie whispered. Vincent nodded.

Mrs. Kisaragi came back in a few minutes later. "Thank you Vincent," She said softly. "Thank you for being her friend." Vincent smiled gently. She left again, this time to go get some groceries. Yuffie smiled at Vincent lightly. "Now you know why I come for cheap thrills."

Vincent looked down at his empty plate. "And the pale days?"

"Hospital mostly." She played with her napkin. "Some days I couldn't get out of bed."

"If you can't exert yourself…"

"Then why do I ride the coaster?"

Vincent nodded.

"I love them. Studied them in high school when I wasn't sick. I wanted to become an engineer so I could build them."

Vincent took her hand across the table.

"I drew some." Her face lit up. "Want to see them?"

Vincent smiled. "I'd love to."

She brought out her sketch pad. Each drawing was meticulous, perfect. The angles were penciled in, backgrounds were drawn. Vincent was amazed. "They're perfect."

Yuffie beamed, her dark eyes lighting up despite her pale face. "I want to build them someday." She looked down, her smile fading. "At least… I wish I could."

Vincent stood up, his chair scraping across the tile floor. He came in front of her, taking her hands in his bigger ones. "I promise Yuffie. I'll make sure they get built. Someday."

Yuffie smiled again. "Thank you Vincent." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek.

...

She came back the next day. Vincent smiled as she came to the window. "Riding today?"

Yuffie shook her head. "I can't…Not anymore."

Vincent's face fell. "I'm sorry." It didn't seem like enough.

"But I can still have coffee." She said, her face brightening some. "Caffeine free, but still."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

She smiled.

...

Her visits became less and less. Vincent started bringing the coffee to her on the pale days. Her dark hair and eyes only seemed to enhance her increasingly pale skin. The vibrant headbands were the only colour on her; she had stopped wearing bright clothes. This time Mrs. Kisaragi let him in. She looked drawn and tired. "She's in her room. In bed."

Vincent went in there. She was lying under the cover, eyes closed. "Yuffie?"

Her eyes fluttered open. "Vinnie…"

Vincent sat down beside her. "I brought your coffee." He set it on the nightstand. She tried to smile, but didn't have the strength. Vincent smiled for her. And he sat there with her. All day.

...

She had a good day 4 days later. And she came to the park. She wasn't so pale today. Vincent smiled and met her outside the office. And they walked to the café. They sat and drank their coffee, talking about coasters and college, life and death.

"Come with me?" Yuffie asked when they were ready to leave. Vincent nodded. And they went to her house. Mom was gone when they got there. She knew Yuffie was in good hands with Vincent. Yuffie stopped in the kitchen, getting two glasses of water for them. She drank hers slowly, but Vincent only took a sip before setting it down. Yuffie set hers down as well, meeting his eyes. She came toward him slowly, hesitantly. Vincent remained still and she rested her hand against his chest. "Vinnie…" She whispered. She raised her lips to his ever so slowly, gently touching at first. Then he kissed her back. She slid her hand around his neck, winding a strand of ebony hair through her fingers. He stayed gentle, not wanting to exert her and she knew it. She pulled away from him, leaving her hand in his hair. "Vinnie," She said almost reprimanding. "It's not a pale day. And… I want to live before…"

Vincent cut her off with a gentle kiss. "As long as we're careful, and no exertion." He whispered against her mouth.

She nodded against him and he picked her up. She was light, barely heavy enough. Her bed cradled them softly as the pile of clothes grew on the floor. He was so careful with her, making sure to go slowly. She clung to him, burying her face in his smooth shoulder. "Vin-cent…" She moaned quietly.

He knew. It hit him then, but he knew before. He loved her.

...

She got worse after that day. The doctors said no more coffee, no more park visits. Walking became too much for her. But she did her best. She tried. Vincent came to her, bringing her pictures of children on the coaster. Her pale days were everyday now. Some days she couldn't breathe. That was scary. For her, and for Vincent. Mrs. Kisaragi tried to do everything she could. But there was nothing that could be done. Yuffie's heart, her wonderful full of love and joy heart, was giving out. Vincent cried the day she had to be rushed to the emergency room. She had to be hooked up to machines, to keep her breathing they said. Her heart couldn't hold up on its own. After two weeks of being in the hospital, she had enough. 'Let me go home.' She said. 'If I have to go, let me go there.'

They let her go. Vincent carried her out of the hospital and her mother drove.

"Stop at the park?" Yuffie whispered. "Please?"

"Alright honey," Mrs. Kisaragi said, her voice breaking. "We will."

It was Sunday. The park was closed but Vincent opened it anyways. He set her down carefully in the roller coaster car. She smiled. "Mom?"

"Yes honey?"

"I love you. So much. Thank you."

Her mom kissed her on the cheek. "I love you too honey."

Yuffie looked so pale against the red of the coaster car. "I'm dying Mom."

Mrs. Kisaragi couldn't hold herself together anymore. She cried. Yuffie grabbed her hand. "Don't cry Mom. Remember me as a kid." She managed to smile. "Can I…say bye to Vinnie?" Mom nodded, tears pouring down her cheeks. "Love you my little white rose."

She smiled. And Vincent held her as Mom left. He kissed her gently but she didn't have the strength to kiss him back. "Thank you… for the cheap thrills." She whispered. "They were worth it."

He tried to hold back his tears. But they fell anyways. "Build my coasters someday ok?"

He nodded. She smiled. "I love you Vinnie."

He loved her too. "I love you Yuffie."

...

That was when she stopped breathing. Her heart finally gave out.

...

Six years to the day after she died, Vincent opened a new park. Twelve coasters debuted that day too. High flying, twisting and turning charged volts of pure adrenaline. All designed by one Yuffie Kisaragi. The coasters were hailed as original, superb, and something for thrill seekers to try at least 200 times. But Vincent's favorite one? A small 30 second ride called Cheap Thrills.


End file.
